Double success for Blades at Ryvita Touch Nationals

Two trophies headed up the M6 after the 2017 Ryvita Touch Nationals after the North-West Blades enjoyed a superb weekend.

In the Men’s Open the Blades had set their stall out over days one and two, finishing second in the seven-team group. So it was no surprise that they made the final, where they turned on the style in the second half to overcome the South-East Taipan.

Plenty of credit to Taipan, though, as they pushed the Blades all the way through the 40-minute showpiece that was the 113th match of the weekend.

The Blades’ other trophy came in the Mixed Open, where their team shrugged off a fourth-place finish in the group stages to win both their semi-final and then the final against Midlands Tigers, who themselves had finished third in the group.

Meanwhile the Women’s Open stayed local, with Midlands Tigers seeing off South-East Sharks in another closely-fought final.

The Men’s 30s category also stayed in the bottom half of the country, South-East Samurai finishing both top of their group and then holding off both the Northern Monkeys and Southern Suns in a three-team play-off that decided the overall champions.

Twenty-eight teams competed across the four categories, and the standard of play and stamina shown by all the players in the Cambridgeshire sun and heat was superb, as was the positive attitude.

Special thanks to the players and coaches, along with the 41 referees – some of whom travelled from various European countries to officiate, and congratulations to those who achieved the upgrades they were working towards – and the outstanding and medical team. Thanks, too, to One Leisure St Ives for providing an outstanding venue and perfect pitches.

CLICK HERE to see pictures from Day 1

CLICK HERE to see pictures from Day 2

CLICK HERE to see pictures from Day 3

WINNING SQUADSMO

North-West Blades

CAM BIRKET                               Wigan Warriors

ADAM BRIMELOW                    Manchester Chargers

OLLIE HOLMES                          Crewe and Nantwich

JOSH INGRAM                            Wigan Warriors

LIAM LAWTON                           Crewe and Nantwich

JAKE MELLING                            Wigan Warriors

JORDAN MELLING                     Wigan Warriors

RYAN MIEMCZYK                       Bareback Riders

ED MORRIS                                 Chester Cheetahs

GABE PENNINGTON                  Wigan Warriors

TOBY PHILLIPS                            Manchester Chargers

GEORGE PRICE                           Wigan Warriors

BOBBY TAYLOR                           Wigan Warriors

JAKE THREADGOLD                   Crewe and Nantwich

Coach RYAN MIEMCZYK

WO

Midlands Tigers

ROSANNAH CORMACK            Cambridge

KATE DAVIS-BAVIN                    Nottingham

EMILE EVE                                    Cambridge

VICTORIA FRANKS                      Cambridge

ANNA GODDARD                      Cambridge

JADE GRANTHAM                      Nottingham

MEGAN GREEN                          Cambridge

KATE HYDE                                  Nottingham

KATHERINE JONES                     Cambridge

JENNY LEE                                    London Galaxy

ALEXANDRA MASKELL              Cambridge

SAID MEAKIN                              Nottingham

LUCY NORBURN                        Cambridge

EMMA OLIVER                            Lincoln

TAMARA SLATER                        Cambridge

LUCY SNAPE                                Nottingham

Coach BEN POWELL

XO

North-West Blades

DARREN BROADHEAD              Crewe and Nantwich

SHELLEY CORCORAN                 Orrell St James

REBECCA DUNN                         Crewe and Nantwich

DYLYN FLETCHER                       Crewe and Nantwich

SIAN GILDING                             Crewe and Nantwich

JOSH GLOVER                             Orrell St James

LYNN HAMPSON                       Orrell St James

COURTNEY HORROCKS            Orrell St James

CHRIS JOHNSON                        Orrell St James

DAVID JOHNSON                       Orrell St James

JOSEPH ONG                              Manchester Chargers

RACAEL PORTER                         Halton Storm

HARRY RATCLIFFE                      Halton Storm

JACK RATCLIFFE                          Halton Storm

RYHS SPENCER PRICE                Crewe and Nantwich

SALESI TUIONO                           Halton Storm

Coach PIULA TUIONO

M30

South-East Samurai

NEIL APPLETON                          CSSC

JAMES BARKLEY                         London Galaxy

AARON CHAN                             CSSC

KEITH DUNLEAVY                       Green and Gold

DANIEL DYER                              Canterbury

CHRIS GARLAND                        Other

NEIL IRVING                                CSSC

THEO OLBERHOLZER                 Other

ADRIAN RIGGS                           Canterbury

COLIN SCOTT                              CSSC

WILL SIMPSON                           CSSC

JASON WADDELL                       CSSC

CHRIS WALL                                CSSC

LIAM WANTENAAR                    CSSC

ERIK WILLIAMS                           London Galaxy

ALEXANDER WOOLNOUGH    London Galaxy

Coach CHRIS WALL